Method and apparatus foe



A iil 12, 1927.

. MOORE s FOR FHEEING CENTRIFUGALLY CAST CASTINGS FROM MOLDS oggrmsxs METHOD AND-APPARATU Filed Dec. 16, 19 3 shut 2 1,624,354 w. D. 5 FOR FREEING--CENTRIFUGALLY VAST April 12, 1927.

MOORE METHOD AND APPARATU CASTINGS FROM MOLDS 0R FLASKS Filed Dec. 16, 1925 I5 Sheets-Shoot a mvsmoa I V/Ll. mu 01/0005 Iv"!!! II N ww Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNllElh STATES PATENT @l FICE.

WILLIAM D. IMOQRE, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALZ-TLBADTEA, ASSIGNOR T0 SAND SPUN PATENTS CORPORATION, OF JVILMIIE'GTON, DEL/BEWARE. A. CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FREEING CENTRIFUGALLY-CAST GASTINGS FROM MOLIDS 0R FLASKS.

Application filed December 16, 1925.

This invention relates generally to the art of casting hollow metal bodies, such as pipes, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for freeing centriiugally-rast castings from the molds or flasks.

The casting centritugally of hollow metal bodies, such as pipes, is carried out in unitary sand-lined hollow flasks, and the removal. of the casting from the flask, without injury thereto and without delay, such as would impair the quality of the casting and that of the casting-sand has heretofore been a problem.

Usually the sand lining and the casting are removed by violent jarring or pounding of the flask with the casting in place. This has been done by means of a vibrator. whercin the flask is subjected to a succession 0t violent jars, or by means oft hammer blows on the exterior of the flask. Any of these methods require a relatively long time for completion and is attended with objections.

Such methods cannot be practiced Without more or less damage to the flask, and sometimes to the casting, and this damage has heretofore been an item of moment in the ultimate costof the casting. The relatively long time elapsing between the setting ot' the casting and its dislodgement from the flask permits a considerable cooling of the casting and impairs the quality of the sand through long subjection to the intense heat of the casting.

It is obvious that the longer the casting remains in the flask, the more [flasks will be required to complete the cycle "for continuous ca sting. In a prior method, approxi mately one hour is required from the casting to the shake-out or dislodgement oi the casting from which it tollows that there must be a SUfllClGllll quantity o't idle flasks to held an hour's prod'uctot the plant, in ad.

dition to those actually in use in casting and in the shake-out machine.

It is of extreme importance that the cast ing be removed from the flask while it is relatively hot, in order that the cooling may be uniform, and in order that the quality of the sand be not impaired by prolonged subjection to the intense heat of the casting.

One 01" the primary objects ot the present 'ition is the provision of a method of removing the .nsting tron) the niiold Seria1 No. 75,?25.

without violence to the flask and preferably while the casing is still at a relatively high temperature. I

Another object the provision of a method especially adapted for removing bell-end castings, partly by disintegration of the sand lin ng and partly by displacement of the casting, thereby to prevent damage to the bell by the disintegrating mechanism.

Another object is the provision of a method. more particularly adapted for re moving cooled castings, but adapted for use at any stage after setting by a combination o l displacement and sand lining disintegratron.

Another object is the provision of a method enabling the initiation of the removing operation as soon as the casting is set.

A further object is a provision of an improved apparatus for carrying out the method.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved machine, with parts in section.

lb 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through flask casting, mold and cutting-tool.

F g. -.t is a plan View of a part of the tool.

F g. 5 is a transverse section of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a part of a machine having an alternate form of feed.

7 is a longitudinal section in detail of an alternate form of cutter.

in the present eml'iodiment of the inven lion, I have illustrated and described What may he termed agang machine capable of handling a plurality of flasks at the same time. Obviously, the machine may be con structcd to handle one or a number of flasks. in the said embodiment, a supporting framework 1 is provided. including an inclined trackway 2, upon which is mounted a carriage 23, carrying one or a plurality of cutting machines or cutters to be later described. The carriage is provided with wheels 4 which run upon the inclined trackway 2, the carriage being moved in opposite directions by mechanism to be later described.

Each cutting machine in the present instance includes a bit 5, a motor- (3, and a speed. reducer of any usual or desired is motors (3., which in the ill) present instance are electric motors, mounted directly on the carriage, with are the motor shaftsthereot in parallel relation, and

the bits 5. are connected with the 1notorsl iafts through the intermediary of the speed reducers 7. Each of the speed reducers 1s arranged within a housing, as shown, and the housings are secured to the carriage.

tool body, each cutter being in the form ofa ring welded, or otherwise secured to the tool body, and' n'ovule'd with deeply cut saw-teeth 10.

The cutter 5 is of such dimensions that it w ll'passbetween the flask well and the cast- "ing, with sutiieient clearance to permit the free discharge of the sand. In practice, the motor-shaft will operate at about 900 it. P. Mnand the speed reducer will be of a character such that a speed of about 50 R. P. M. is imparted to the bit or cutting-tool. V

A-tilting frame 13 is hinged at the upper .en'd oftheitrackway, to be moved into alignment therewith, or into horizontal position. The ,free end of the tilting frame'li 1S sup j ported, when in horizontal position, by a suitable abutment 141 on the frame-work 1, and upon the said framelS the flasks 12 con .tainingthe castings 11, are placed, the frame being constructed to support flasks correspending in number to the cutting tools, in alignment therewith, when the said frame is in inclined position.

"Guides 15 arearrangedon opposite sides of-the tiltingframe 13 to support the same againstllateral -1novernent when resting on r the abutment, andthe frame is hinged at 16 to the upper end of the trackway. The arrangement of the parts is such that the frame 13 maybe swung into parallelism with the trackway, and when so arranged, each flask will be inexact alignmentwith the appropr'ate cutting, tool.

The flasks are supported by rails 17, which engage loosely'in notches 22 on the tiltingframe. The ends'of the-rails also engage between pairs of lugs 19 on supports 20, at opposite sides of the tilting frame, when said frame is in horizontal position. Upon each ofthese supports rest the upper ends of a 1'9air of skit s 21, along which the flasks may be rolled to and'fronrthe frame.

. 1 Referring toFig. 2, it will be'seen that "thesuppm't's 20' are substantially parallel with thelong a-Xisof the tilting frame. and a 'pair of skids 21' is arranged on each side of ,the frame, one pair serving); for flasks moving toward the frame, and the other for fiasks moving away from theframe. The

frame rests upon the abutment ii, the rails 17 will. be supported by the supports 20 and the flasks will be held in the plane of the skids 21.

When the frame swings upward, the rails 17 are received in the notches 29., so that the frame may engage the flasks before the rails rest in the bottom of the notches 22. \Vhen the frame near.

the end o'l its movement to horizontal position, the rails engage the sup ports 20, lifting the flasks; from the frame, and holding them in the plane of the skids. A pair of rails 23 is arrange l at the oulrr end of the tilting-l'rznuc, when it is in horizontal position for receiving the castings when they are removed from the flasks- (in these rails they may be transferred to a suitable place for cooling.

A hood, or housing 24-, encloses the upper end of the trackway 2. The housing has guides 25 for the cutting-tools, and constitutes the top of a bin 2?, for holding the sand from the disintegrated linings. The sand may be removed from the bin in any suitable or desired manner, or re-tcnngeringr and re-use. The uides 25 engage the cut ter-bars loosely and serve to center the bars prior to their entrance between the casting and the flask, after which no guidance is needed.

The frame 13 is tilted by means of lluid under pressure. A c "linder, or set of cylinders 33, is provided, each being supplied from a suitable source of fluid under pressure, as for instance water, by means ol a pipe 3 1, controlled by valve 35. A flexible member 36, such as a rope or cable. is connected at one end with the top of each cylinder. From this connection, the flexible member passes over a pulley 37. arranged at the upper end of the piston-rod 38 of the cylinder. From the pulley 37, the flexible nuun ber passes beneath a pulley 35 at the hot.v tom of the cylinder and over guide pulleys ear-0 a connection with the tilting frame 13. It will be understood that as man cylinders may be provided as may be desired or necessary, and they operate in ynchronism.

The cutter carriage 3 is moved toward the flasks positively, by means of a piston rod 41 in a fluid lnessurc cylinder 44. The lower end of the cylinder is sup 'ilied with fluid under pressure by means of a valved pipe 15, and the connection of the p st n with the carriage is by means of a flexible member 42. The. said member is connected at one end to the top of the cylinder 44-. From the connection it passes over pulley 4-7 journaled in the upper end of the piston, beneath the pulley 1-8, journaled below the cylinder.

to a connection with the carriage. Guide fit) fit]

nee 1,35 1- pulleys 43 and 416 are provided intermediate the pulley 4:8 and the cutter carriage. One of these guide pulleys 13 is near the top of the inclined trackway, while the other is at about the level of the pulley 18. The cutter carriage is lied to its work by the fluid pressure in the cylinder a l and it is returned to its lowermost position by gravity.

TV hen dealing with pipes having bell-ends, the cutter-bars would engage the bells, it permitted to travel the full length of the casting, with consequent damage to the bell, or to the cutter. To avoid such liability, mechanism is provided in (JOIlHBCtlOll with each cutter for engaging the spigot end of the pipe. just before the teeth of the cutter bar would reach the bell, after which engagement the casting will move with the cutter, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The said mechanism includes a cross pin, or bar 50, carried by the cutter. The ends of this pin, or bar, are flush with the periphery ot' the cutter-bar body, and. that portion of the pin within the body will engage the end of the casting and constrain the casting to travel with the tool. The pin is so arranged that it will engage the casting, just before the teeth of the cutter bar reach the bell. lVith this arrangement, the cutter bar may travel the entire length of the flask, without the possibility of injury to any of the parts.

The operation of the machine is as follows :--Flasks corresponding in number to the cutting tools are rolled over the skids 21 to position on the tilting frame 13, when said frame is in horizontal position. The carriage 3 is now at the lower end of the inclined trackway. The tilting frame 13 is tilted to the full line position of Fig. 1 and the carriage i) is released, so that it may move under the influence of the piston 41. As the cutters move upward they gradually disintegrate the sand mold or lining. \Vith bell end castings, the pin 50 will engage the 0nd of the casting just before the teeth of the cutter reach the bell, and from this point on the casting will move with the cutters until the ren'iainder oi the sand lining is disintegrated.

The sand passes into the bin, from whence it may be removed as desired. Any sand gaining access to the interior of the cutter bodies may pass out through the openings 8. After the linings of the several flasks are disintegrated, the tilting "frame 13 is lowered by gravity thus removing'the cutters -from the flask. The tilting frame is then lowered, the castings drawn out upon the rails 23, and the empty flasks rolled away over the other set of skids 21.

Because the flasks are so quickly released from the castings and the sand, they do not become so heated. as would be the case were the removal by the usual process, and as a consequence, the flasks quickly cool, so that they can be re-used, practically as soon as empty.

By utilizing the method above set forth, with the apparatus shown, or other apparatus suitable for the purpose, a minimum number of flasks may be utilized to maintain a cycle of continuous operation.

In Fig. 6, an alternate form of mechanism is shown for operating the cutter carriage. With this arrangement, the frame 51 the inclined trackway 52*, and the cutter carriage 53 are precisely the same as shown in l ig. 1. The cutters indicated generally at 55 are also the same. The cutter carriage is however ted to the work by n'lea-ns of a counter-weight 56, connected by a flexible member 57 with the carriage. Between the counter-weight and the carriage the flexible member passes over a pulley 5S, and the relative weight of the parts is such that when the cutter carriage is free to move under the influence oi the counterpoise or weight the cutters will be held to the work. The cutter carriage is withdrawn to release the cutters, by means of a flexible member 59 arranged between the cutter carriage and a cylinder tt similar to the cylinder 44 of Fig. 1. The flexible member passes from the lower end of the cutter carriage beneath guide pulleys (30 and 61 and over the pulley 62 at the top of the piston 68 to a connection with the cylinder 44 In this arrangement automatic feed control is provided by the counterpoise. The feed is regulated by the resistance encountered. If the resistance is above normal, the feed of the cutters will be slow, and with a decrease in resistance, the speed. of the cutters will be accelerated.

In F 7 is shown an embodiment of a cutter especially adapted for removing castings wherein there has been an appreciable degree of shrinking due to cooling, but also adapted for use with castings at any stage after setting. In this construction, the cutter body 70 corresponding to the body 5 ol Fig. 1 has threaded into the end thereof "a plug 71. The plug is enlarged beyond the end of the body as shown at 72, and. carrice the cutter 73 which is in the form of a sleeve secured to the enlarged portion of the plug at one end, and having teeth at its free end. The sleeve is also provided with longitudinally extending openings 74; through whch sand may escape. The plug also grooved longitudinally as shown at 7 5 for the same purpose.

The end of the plug remote from the body 70 is reduced as shown at 76, and upon this reduced portion is journaled a head 77. As shown a plurality of ball bearings 78 is arranged between the head and the plug, and a bolt 79 passed axially of' the plug and the head to hold the head in place. The head has an external annular rib 80 a'vhiehis adapted to engage the end of the "casting 81,-and this rib'is so spaced with respect to the teeth, that it will engage the end of the castingjust after the teeth have -'begun to cut the sand lining- From the time of such engagemenn'the casting will move with the cutter, the cutter cutting just ahead of the adjacent end of the casting,

' t111Cl between the casting and'the flask 82.

In order to hold the'flasks from longitudinal displacement under the action of the 'disin'tegrators, they have annular ribs 52 intermediate their ends, which bear against a thrust-bar 51 on the carriage. The en- -:'1 ga'gementof the ribs'and the bar holds the flasks from moving with the disintegratm's when they are in position.

While I have shown and described a an Z3 '3 machine for simultaneously releasing a number of cast ngs, it will be understood that 1the mechanism is equally effective with a single casting. The number operated upon 'slmulta-neously 1s a matter of convenience. While I have shown a fluld pressure means for feeding the disintegrators, any other suitable mechanism-might be provided. The important feature is ail-arrangement such that the disintegra'tors may feed in accordance with "the .di'fliculty of the dis-integrating operation. The arrangement whereby gravity'di'sc'harge of a disintegrated mold is ob- ':tained,'is a'preferable arrangement, but not ainecessary one, since it is obviousthat any convenient means might :be utilized for discharging the sand. a

In the present construction a gang of cutitGPS'IS'mOUDlZQCl on a common carriage, but

:it is :oloviousthat agang might be consti- .tuted byapluralityof individual carriages, each with its cutter, the gang cooperating with flasks supported by a single pivoted frame Work.

'I claim: i i 1. The method of freeing castings from sand lined molds, which consists in progressively disintegrating the sand lining from one end of the mold toward the other with the casting in place.

2. The method of freeing castings from sand lined molds, which consists in progressively disintegrating thesand lining from one end of the mold toward the other with the casting in place and whil-e the casting is hot.

V 3 The method of freeing castings from sand lined flasks, which consists in progressively disintegrating the sand lining fronrone end of the flask, without disturbing the relation of casting and flask until the operation is substantially complete and *while the casting is hot.

4. The methodof freeing castings from isanid lined flasks, which consists in progreswins :sively disintegrating the sand lining from one end ofthe flask toward. the other, and in sand from the spigot toward the bell and over a circular path, without disturbing the relation of casting and flask, and completing the operation by moving the flask in synchronism with the progress of disintegration.

7. The method of freeing castings from sanddined molds, which consists in progressively loosening the sand and removing it from the mold from one end toward the other.

8. The method of freeing hollow castings from sand-lined molds, which consists in supporting the molds, in a position other than horizontal, and in progressively loos- ;ening the sand to permit it to run out of the mold by gravity.

9. An apparatus for freeing hollow castings from sand molds, including means to progressively loosen the sand from one end of the mold, and means to operate the loosening means.

10. An apparatus for freeing hollow castings from said molds, including means to support the molds in an inclined position,

sand-freeing means operable to progressive- 1y loosen the sand, and means to effect relative movement longitudinally between the supporting means and the sand-loosening means.

11. An apparatus for freeing hollow castings from sand molds, including an inclined support for the castings, sand-loosening means mounted to move toward and from the castings on the support, and mechanism to move the loosening means toward the support.

12. An apparatus for freeing castings from unitary semi-lined flasks, including a disintcgrator for the sand to operate hetwcen the flask and casting, means to support the flask and disinlegrator in a positionto discharge the disintegrated sand by gravity, and mechanism to move the disintegrator.

13. An apparatus for freeing -asiiugs from unitary sand lined flasks, including a disintegrator for the sand to operate between the flask and castin means to en port the flask and disintegrator in a position to discharge the disintegrated sand by gravity, and mechanism to move the disintegrator, the supporting means including a tilting-frame for the flask, and means to tilt the frame.

14. An apparatus for freeing castings from unitary sand-lined flasks, including a disintegrator for the sand, means to support the flask and disintegrator in a position to discharge the disintegrated sand by gravity, and mechanism to move the di integrator, the disintegrator including an annular cutter operating between the casting and the flask.

15. An apparatus for freeing castings from unitary sand-lined flasks, including a disintegrator tor the sand, means to support the flask and disintegrator in a position to discharge the disintegrated sand by gravity, and mechanism to move the dieintegrator, the disintegrator including an annular cutter operating between the casting and the flask, and mechanism to engage the casting at a selected pointin the travel of the disintegrator to move the casting there- With.

16. An apparatus for freeing castings from unitary sand line flasks, including a disintegrator -for the sand, an inclined trackway upon which the disintegrator is movable, means to move the same, a frame for supporting the flasks, said frame normally horizontal, and means to tilt the same to align the flasks With the disintegrator.

17. In apparatus of the class described, disintegrating mechanism mounted to operate on an incline, means for aligning flasks With the said mechanism, including a frame mounted to move from horizontal to inclined position, rails extending transversely of the frame for supporting the flasks, the frame and rails having cooperating seats in which the flasks rest, and skidivays at each side of the frame, including abutment-s engaged by the rails as the frame moves into horizontal position to lift the rails and flasks to the level of the skidways.

18. in apparatus ot the class described, a flask supporting frame hinged to swing from horizontal to inclined position, cutters mounted to move longitudinally of the frame in alinement with flasks supported thereby when the frame is in an inclined position and means to move the frame, rails extending transversely of the frame, the rails and frame having cooperating seats for holding the flasks in parallel relation, sl dways each side of the frame When horizontal, and means engaging the rails to support the rails and flasks at the level of the skidways when the frame moves into horizontal position.

Signed at Birmingham in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama this 27th day of November, A. D. 1925.

lVILLIAll/l D. MOORE. 

